NYC Times Square box cutter slashing suspect charged with hate crime against Asian woman; had 30 prior arrests

The man captured on surveillance video slashing a woman with a box cutter in a popular New York City tourist hub during an unprovoked, daylight attack has been arrested and charged with a hate crime. 

Authorities revealed on Tuesday that 30-year-old Anthony Evans has been arrested and is charged with a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon in connection to the caught-on-camera attack that happened at approximately 10 a.m. on Sunday near 7th Avenue and West 42nd Street in Times Square. 

The basis of the hate-related charge remains unclear, but local reports say the victim was a 59-year-old Asian woman, who was transported to Bellevue Hospital with a deep bloodied gash to her right hand. 

NYC SUSPECT IN UNPROVOKED TIMES SQUARE BOX CUTTER SLASHING ATTACK IDENTIFIED 

Video showed the woman, who works as a seamstress, wheeling a cart designed to carry groceries near the Crossroads of the World when the suspect, a Black male dressed in a black jacket and gray sweatpants, approached her from behind and took a wide swipe at her with a box cutter. 

The New York Post reported that Evans has been arrested more than 30 times before for offenses that included robbery, criminal possession of a weapon and turnstile jumping. He was escorted out of the Midtown South Precinct around noon Tuesday to head to his arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court. 

The New York Police Department first released video of the attack on Sunday, seeking information from the public on his identity. By Monday, police identified him as Evans and were still asking for information on his whereabouts. WABC reported that someone spotted Evans near the Port Authority Bus Terminal, where he was taken into custody. 

“It was a very violent event, a very violent thing to do. I wouldn’t wish this upon anybody — even my worst enemies,” the victim’s daughter told the Post. “I hope it wasn’t for malicious reasons.”